Fun and Excitement with the Lindy Hop and the Balboa

Some of the most intriguing and enjoyable dances available today are based on the Charleston dance that was once fanatically followed by millions in North America and Europe, and which has seen a major resurgence itself in recent years. The Charleston and its kin, the Lindy Hop and the Balboa dance, are both rich with history and full of contemporary excitement. Learning them will build your strength and coordination, give you plenty of good-natured enjoyment and let you meet plenty of new people, too. Swing Zing Dance School is one of the best modern dance schools to learn all these swing dances at.

The Charleston can be either a solo dance (though at a Perth dance school, you will be dancing “solo” in a group) or a dance for couples. The dance form was originally solo, but as its popularity increased, people wanted a way to participate in it together with a dance partner, so many additional forms have been devised, including the tandem Charleston and the jockey Charleston.

The Lindy Hop is a dance for two, which alternates between close contact and pulling back – “breaking away” – and maintaining contact only through the hands, while undertaking a lot of vigorous footwork, including various kicks, leaps, and even “air steps” in the case of performance dancing (an air step is a move which causes both feet of the dancer to leave the floor at the same moment).

The Balboa dance is a dance that originated in California, and, like the Lindy Hop itself, branched off from the Charleston. It is a quieter, more intimate dance in which the partners remain in close contact throughout and the dance moves are consequently more limited. The Balboa was originally devised to allow people to dance on overcrowded dance floors without kicking nearby couples!

Whether you want to learn one of these fun, interesting dances, or all three, the best Perth dance school for your purposes is Swing Zing, which is dedicated to bringing you the best in Lindy Hop experiences.